Review – Henry’s Funeral Show – Donkey Jacket

Alive Naturalsound sure knows how to find good bands and scoop them up. Henry’s Funeral Shoe is no exception. Donkey Jacket, due out in October, is their sophomore release. You wouldn’t be able to tell though as I don’t think the guys have ever heard of a “sophomore slump”.

Henry’s Funeral Shoe is the brain child of brothers Aled and Brennig Clifford. This 2 piece duo from South Wales knows how to get things done. Donkey Jacket starts off with a rip roaring guitar of Aled on “Be Your Own Invention” which upon first listen, starts off sounding a little like “La Grange’ by ZZ Top. “Love Is A Fever” (which can be heard below) is another blues based rock song. “Bottom To Top” is a more mellower song featuring acoustic guitar and is a more old style country music. “Anvil & Chains” roughs it up a bit and features some harmonica. It has that true delta blues vibe to it and even sounds like it could be a Five Horse Johnson song. “Dog Scratched Ear” has a nice mellow, catchy, even bass line. It really takes off and explodes in the middle.  “Mission & Maintenance” is next. It is the same style as “Dog Scratched Ear” but is heavier and features a lot of harmonica. “The Walking Crawl” is a slower bluesy rock song. “Heart On Fire” is another mellow and acoustic  song. A love of song but not a sappy one. It reminds me a bit of Pearl Jam’s “Wishlist” lyrically. “Gimme Back My Morphine” is another heavy blues song. It’ll get your foot stomping and “numb your hands and spine” in the process. The album comes to an end with a really mellow tune with “Across The Sky” which really doesn’t fit into the theme of the rest of the album but is still a good tune.

The vocals of Donkey Jacket are deep and soulful. The bass and drums are deep and the guitars are raw and powerful. The added piano and acoustic song “Across The Sky” compliments an already impressive album.  The songs are made up of old style country, rock, and blues and mixes those elements up. This is an easy album to get into and get hooked on. It’s tough for me to find a favorite song on this album as they’re all so good. Fans of Chilli Cold Blood, Left Lane Cruiser, Five Horse Johnson, and The Blackwater Fever are going to absolutely love this band!